Tips for mobile productivity: Ways to use your mobile LESS

Lately, I have formalized in writing how my phone is taking away from my time I used to save for daydreaming, sketching, talking with people, and moments of relaxation. Not that I want to give it up, but Ive decided I wanted the option of connectivity, rather then the requirement. Now that I have access to data all the time, I really should think strategically on how it adds value to my life vs the time is uses – where technology becomes a cost.

Here are a few things I am going to try out on a prelim basis.

1. Buy a watch– stop using my phone as my watch, which temps me for other time wasting apps.2. Only reply to tweets, facebook, and email posts from computers. If they were that important, they will be just as important when I get back from my walk.3. Delete extra apps that I only use when I am bored.4. Stop using LBS– I know those points are worthless, so why invest my time.5. Unsubscribe from all my lists, and unlike random companies: They are filling up my feeds and time. I used to really enjoy searching for things and exploring. SEO and feeds and subscriptions have turned the things I used to enjoy into spam.6. Use SMS strategically, but use much much less. Disruptions are disruptions7. Schedule time for social media– it should not have rank over the rest of my life
8. What would Tim Ferris do?
9. Reconsider this in 1 month.

Patrick Donnelly, 6/22

Note: this is a personal list, and obviously many of these guidelines are contextual or preferential.